Ball rack



Patented Dec; 1, 1925.

MIKE VAEGO, OF YUKON, PENNSYLVANIA.

BALL BACK.

Application filed Aprl 24, 1925. Serial Ne 25,698.

To aZZ whom it may camera:

Be it known that I, MIKE VARGO, a citizen of the United States, residing at Yukon, in the county of VVestmoreland and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in Ball Racks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to ball racks, and more particularly to a rack intended for recepton of pool balls.

One of the main objects of the in'vention is to provide a rack of simple Construction which occupies but little space and may, if desired, be mounted directly upon the end of the pool table. A further object is to provide a rack of this character having simple and efficient means for holding the balls on the shelves of the rack and for re leasing the balls to permit the same to be discharged into a basket or suitable receptacle positioned centrally of the rack. Further objects will appear from the detail description.

In the drawingsz- Figure 1 is a front View of the rack;

Figure 2 is a Section taken substantially on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figure 3 is a section taken substantially on line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 is an end view of the rack.

The rack includes a casing 1 of boXlike Construction in which are mounted shelves 2. .A plate 3 is Secured at the central portion of the front of the casing, the space beneath the shelves and this plate being divided into a central compartment 4 and two end compartments 4 2 The end compartments 4 are intended for reception of brushes or rubbers, and other articles used in cleaning the pool table and the covering thereof. The central compartment 4 is for reception of a suitable basket or other receptacle, not shown, into which the balls are discharged from the shelves 2. A U-shaped yoke 6 is slidably mounted through plate 3, the arms of this yoke sliding through suitable bushings 5 Secured through the plate by nuts 5. Yoke 6 is normally held in its outer operative position by an eXpansion coil spring 7 which is mounted about a central rod 8 projecting inwardlly from yoke 6 and slidable through a bushing 5 secured through plate 3 by a nut 5, outward movement of this rod being limited by a cotter pin 9 inserted therethrough, or in any other suitable or preferred manner. Flat bars r 10 are rigidly Secured to the inner ends of the arms of yoke 6. These bars are disposed Vertically and operate in grooves ll and 12 provided in the top l of casing 1 and the lower shelves 2, respectively l/Vhen the yoke is projected the bars 10 are positioned at the transverse Centers of shelves 2 which are provided in their upper faces with grooves 2 for recepton of the balls b, these grooves increasing in depth toward the center of the casing so as to provide supporting surfaces for the balls which are inclined downwardly and inwardly of the casing. Preferably, though not necessarily, discs 12 of felt or other suitable cushioning material are Secured to bar 10 by means of screws 18, or in any other suitable or preferred manner, these discs being positioned to contact with the balls b at the centers thereof. The shelves 2 are so spaced relative to each other and to top wall 1 of the casing as to permit the balls to be readily placed on the shelves through suitably disposed openings 14 provided through the end walls of the casing for this purpose.

The balls, when placed upon the shelves, travel by gravity toward the central portion of the rack, the inner ball on each shelf Contacting with disc 12. When it is desired to remove the balls from the rack a basket or suitable receptacle is placed in compartment 4 and the yoke 6 is pushed inwardly so as to move the bars 10 rear wardly of the casing a sufiicient distance to move the discs 12 out of the path of travel of the balls b thus permitting the balls to travel by gravity of? of the inner ends of the shelves, the balls being discharged into the basket. lVhen yoke 6 is released it is returned to operative position by means of spring 7.

What I claim is 1. In a ball rack, a casing, shelves mounted in the casing and having ball support-ing surfaces inclined downwardly and inwardly of the casing, a plate mounted in front of the shelves adjacent the lower ends of the inclined surfaces thereof, a member slidably mounted through the plate, and means urging said member outwardly through the plate, outward movement of the sldably mounted member being positively limited, a retaining bar se cured to said slidably mounted member and normally positioned to retain balls on the shelves, said bar being moved out of the path of travel of the balls to permt dsoharge thereo' from the lower ends of the shelves When the shdably mounted member is forced nwardly through the plate.

2. In a ball 'aek, a oasng, shelves mounted in the easng at each end thereofand having ball supporting sur-faces nclned downwardly and nwardly of `the easng, a plate supported in front oi" the shelves at the -nner ends thereot, th ough the plate, means for u rgng the yoke ou twardly of the plate, means for hmtng out'w'ard movement of the voke, and: retaning members carred by the arms o'E the yoke and postoned to retain balls on the shelves When the yoke is in its normal outermost position, said members being moved out of the path of travel of the balls to per-mit the latt'er to be dscharged from the' shelves When the y'oke is forced tnwardly through the plate.

3. In a ball ra ek, a. casi'g, shehes mounta yol-;e shdable ed in the easng. at each. end thereof and having ball' supporting surfaees inclne downwardly and nwardly o' the oasng, a plate mounted in front of the shelves adjaoent the nner ends' thereof, a yoke sldably mounted through the plate, a rod extendng 'rorn the yoke centrally thereof and sldahle through the plate, means lmtng outWard movement of the rod, an expanson ool spring mounted about said red and confined between the plate and the yokeandactng to normally hold the yoke in its' outermost poston, and ball retanng members earred by the arms ot' the yoke and dsposed to retain balls on the shel ves When the yoke is in ts outermost position, said members being moved out of the path of travel of the balls to ermit dseharge there'of from the' shelveswhen the yoke is forced nwardly into its nnermost position.

In te'sti mony Whereof I vaffix my Signature.

t MIKE'VARGO 

